


The Lonely Lighthouse Keeper

by ratherbeblue



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M, fjorclay week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratherbeblue/pseuds/ratherbeblue
Summary: There was once a small island in the middle of the sea, for many years it was bright and green and had many visitors. Until one day the sea grew cold and the sky grew dark and all the ships and travellers that once came from far and wide to see the island stopped coming entirely.Soon all that was left on the island, which was still green and bright, was one lonely lighthouse, and it’s keeper that lived inside.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Fjord
Comments: 14
Kudos: 53





	The Lonely Lighthouse Keeper

**Author's Note:**

> my contribution to day 3 of Fjorclay week! i hope this makes sense, i tried to stylize it a lot.

I.

There was once a small island in the middle of the sea, for many years it was bright and green and had many visitors. Until one day the sea grew cold and the sky grew dark and all the ships and travellers that once came from far and wide to see the island stopped coming entirely. 

Soon all that was left on the island, which was still green and bright, was one lonely lighthouse, and it’s keeper that lived inside.

Though the lighthouse keeper was alone, he never despaired at his fate. While he was alone he had all the time in the world to tend to the green island, meet all the creatures that lived on it, and dutifully keep the lighthouse in good condition, though no sailors ever seemed to come near enough to use it. 

Only once had anyone come close, when a ship had wrecked not far from the island and a group of strangers had washed up, guided by the light. The colorful group was strange as they were charming, and the lighthouse keeper now proudly called them his friends. And though they had to leave not long after they arrived, the jester of the group still speaks with him from time to time.

Other than that he truly was alone, his family scattered to other islands and coasts, for many years it was just him and his lighthouse.

II.

One night, as the lightning flashed and the sky screamed the lighthouse keeper looked outside from his spot at the top of the lighthouse, and there, in the distance on the sand he saw the ocean push a figure onto his island.

The lighthouse keeper grabbed his lantern and put on his coat, and went to inspect the figure he had seen. He walked down the winding shaft of the lighthouse and out onto the beach until he reached what he had seen.

The man was verdant as the island he landed on, shivering and bare in the sand, what struck the lighthouse keeper was familiarity, then confusion upon seeing his legs.

“I’ve seen you before, on my boat, you’re of the ocean.” The lighthouse keeper told him.

“Was of the ocean. I was cursed and now I must walk on land.” The oceanling corrected.

“What a strange curse.” The lighthouse keeper mused.

“Perhaps not cursed, but cast out, by The Father of The Deep.”

“Your father?” 

“Of sorts.” Replied the oceanling.

“I do not know The Father of The Deep, here we know The Mother of The Wild.”

“Your mother?”

“Of sorts.” The lighthouse keeper echoed. 

“I hope she is a good mother.”

“She is.” The lighthouse keeper took off his coat, held it out for the oceanling to take. “She gives us what we need.”

The lighthouse keeper carried the oceanling into the lighthouse, wrapped in his coat of soft blue wool. 

III.

The oceanling, once he had been properly fed and clothed, explained that he had been cast out of the sea he so deeply loved because he had strayed from The Father’s path. He did not explain why, just that all he wanted was to go back.

The lighthouse keeper nodded in understanding, tucked him into bed, and climbed up to his own bed to think.

In the morning he came to the oceanling with an offer.

“I’ve thought of a way to help you with your curse” The lighthouse keeper told him. “But I must warn you, it may not be something you want.”

“Anything, anything so that I can return to the sea.” The oceanling assured him.

“I have told you we follow The Mother of the Wild here, we keep her gifts healthy while they live and give them a place to lay when they die, in return she gives us certain gifts, usually in the form of a wish granted.” The lighthouse keeper explained. “There are a few events that warrant such things, births, funerals, weddings…”

“Then a wedding we shall have.” Replied the oceanling.

The lighthouse keeper blushed but nodded all the same.

III.

The wedding ceremony would have to take place over several days, as the tradition goes for those who worship The Mother, the lighthouse keeper explained. The first day was for the loved ones of those who were getting married, the couple would split to spend time with them alone, the second was for the couple only, they would start at separate places in nature and guide themselves to the other then, once they were found, they would spend the night together and be married in the morning.

They would have to invite as many people as they could, and that meant everyone the lighthouse keeper knew. He messaged the jester in hopes she would come and she assured him they would all be there soon.

In the coming weeks the lighthouse keeper prepared what he could, moved rocks into the rough shape of a circle in the forest, gathered sweet fruits to ferment, and handed the oceanling shells from the beach which he clumsily knit into garland.

The oceanling’s spirits had picked up since the lighthouse keeper came to him with the offer and promise of returning to the sea, and he seemed very eager to participate in every aspect of the ceremony he could.

His new legs however, were weak with disuse, which the lighthouse keeper tried to help, he built him a chair, wheeled so he could move himself, guided him along the railed balcony so he could practice the strange motions, and at night helped him through motions and stretches until he could do them himself.

The oceanling was thankful, returned the favor with words of gratefulness and open arms, which the lighthouse keeper took to with a flush.

Every night the lighthouse keeper fell more deeply in love with his betrothed, and each morning he knew he would be gone one day sooner.

IV.

The lighthouse keeper’s friends arrived on an unusually sunny and clear day, on a ship this time, and bearing gifts from their travels. They greeted him and the oceanling with exuberance as if they were all life-long friends and the ceremonies began.

The jester, the fortune-teller, and the expositor rushed the oceanling away with a speed he could barely keep up with, even with his new cane.

That left the lighthouse keeper alone with the other three of his friends, a much milder group of the wizard, his companion, the trickster, and the zealot. 

After a day and night of quiet celebration for the lighthouse keeper, and decidedly less quiet celebration for the oceanling, they found themselves at opposite ends of the small forest on the island, ready to begin their journey towards the other.

For the first few hours both were calm, they wandered into the trees, hoping without any way of knowing that the path they chose was the right one. A few hours more and the oceanling got worried, the trees on land were very much unlike the ones underwater and it was easy for him to lose track of where he had been or where he was going. The lighthouse keeper on the other hand was much more accustomed to the forest. He politely asked the trees if they had seen the oceanling and at their vague replies he continued on. Eventually his ears perked up, the sound of two feet and sturdy birch hitting the soft forest ground behind him catching his attention. He turned and called out the oceanling’s name. 

The oceanling came forth and they grasped at each other in relief. They laughed and found a soft place to rest for the night and the lighthouse keeper tried not to think about how this would be their last one together.

V.

The next morning found them in the rock surrounded clearing the lighthouse keeper had crafted. They had braided each other's hair the night before, filled each plait with flowers and greenery from around them, and now they stood in front of each other, the lighthouse keeper in his own clothes of linen and the oceanling in an outfit that the fortune teller had thrust upon him.

The lighthouse keeper guided them both through the vows until finally a sea sweet breeze rushed around them both,

“It’s time.” The lighthouse keeper said, sadness filling his throat. “Make your wish.”

“I wish…” The oceanling looked into the eyes of the lighthouse keeper. “I wish for nothing to keep us apart, as long as we both shall live.”

The lighthouse keeper’s eyes widened, not sure if he had heard his companion correctly, or if it was just a trick of the ear. All the same, he felt the warm breeze of The Mother’s blessing surround him, a wish granted.

“But I thought…” The lighthouse keeper started. “You are of the ocean, what about The Father?”

“I much prefer The Mother, besides, it’s as you said, she gives us what we need.” And with that the oceanling kissed his new husband.

VI.

There once was a small island in the middle of the sea, it was bright and green and had many visitors. Some say that it wasn’t always like that, that for many years the sea around it was cold and the sky was dark and no ships or travellers dared travel near the island and the lonely lighthouse, and it’s keeper that lived inside.

But if you go there now you will find no lonely lighthouse keeper at all, just Mr.Clay and his husband Fjord. That is, if they are there at all and not off adventuring with their group of friends that call themselves the Mighty Nein. But that’s a story for another time.


End file.
